The key to knowing the heart of God

I came across a gem of a book called Writings from the Philokalia: On Prayer of the Heart. It is a collection of writings from Fathers of the Eastern Church from about the 4th to the 14th centuries.

Over and over in the early stages of this reading, there is one thing that rises to the top when it comes to knowing the heart of God: get your mind in gear.

“…this method is none other but the guarding of the mind.” — Paul of Latros

“… I will show you a marvelous spiritual methods or means to achieve this, a method not requiring physical labor or exertion, but demanding spiritual work — attention of mind and thought, assisted by the fear and love of God.” — Abba Mark’s epistle to Nicholas

“The most important work in spiritual struggle is to enter the heart and there to wage war with Satan…” — St. Marcarius the Great

We need a constant remembrance of God. Th enemy engages the war in our minds through distraction. He works to agitate our thinking (St. Simeon).

Over and over again is this theme: get the mind active and turned toward God.